MLB Player and prospect blogs

If you are like me, chances are, you may be, if you are a baseball fan, you like hearing baseball from the perspective of the player. So in short, I am updating my player blogs that are hosted at mlblogs (the MLB blogging network). Oh, and shameless plug, I write occasionally a Jays one, at Blue Jays Outside the Dome

Anyway, on with the player, and prospect blogs.

David Ortiz (BOS)
Reed Johnson (LAD)
Torii Hunter (LAA)
Marlon Byrd (CHC)
Bengie Molina (TEX)
Kevin Slowey (MIN)

Michael Schlact (TEX prospect)
Neil Wagner (OAK prospect)
Scot Drucker (DET prospect)
Jarrod Parker (ARI prospect)

Former Montreal Expo Michael Barrett moves up to Triple-A Buffalo Bisons

Earlier this month, I mentioned on Twitter how Michael Barrett was signed to a minor league contract by the New York Mets. In the article linked from the Twitter post, it said how we was expected to move up to Triple-A Buffalo after a few weeks. Well now he has.

He played 15 games for the High-A Mets affiliate, St. Lucie Mets. In those 15 games, he batted .220, in 50 AB. His OBP was .278.

In two games for the Buffalo Bisons, he is so far 0 for 6.

Presently catching for the Mets is Henry Blanco and Josh Thole. Rod Barajas is on the 15 day DL with a strained left oblique. Omir Santos who is on the Mets 40 man roster despite playing currently with the Double-A Binghampton Mets. He has not played for the Mets since last year. With all that in mind, perhaps Michael will be back in the Bigs in the near future.

I met him in the off season, at a sports journalism panel, so it would be nice to see him playing for the big club.


A few days ago, former Expos closer, Chad Cordero signed a minor league contract with the Mets, on July 22. He was re-signed by the Mariners late last year (December 28). So to this point in 2010, he played in 17 games for the Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle Mariners Triple-A affiliate), and moved up to the big club June 3 (Contract purchased from Tacoma (AAA)).

Chad Cordero played nine games with Seattle, his first in the Bigs since being with Washington in 2008. July 15, he "refused option to Tacoma (AAA) and became a free agent". Hence now signing with the Mets, and has been assigned to the Buffalo Bisons. So a couple of former Expos team mates will probably form a battery shortly with the Bisons. He is still playing out of the bullpen.


Speaking of former Expos, Valentino Pascucci is also currently with the Buffalo Bisons (on the 7-day DL at the moment). He only played 32 games with Montreal, starting 17 (2 at 1B, and 15 in OF). He not not played in the majors since.

In January 2009, he signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers (61 GP with the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes, batting .211), then in June 2009, a minor league deal with the Padres (65 GP with the AAA Portland Beavers batting .277), and finally in February of this year a minor league deal with the Mets, so far appearing in 46 games, batting .238. He has been playing the outfield. Primarily in right it would seem.

Andre Dawson, Hall of Famer

Andre Dawson was about halfway through his time with the Expos when I was just being born in 1980. Point being, he was playing long before I started following baseball as much as I do now. However from what I have learned, and what his peers have said, he is more than a eligible to find his way into the Hall.

Even though by edict of the Hall he'll be the second player -- following Gary Carter -- to enter wearing a Montreal Expos cap.

It seems he wanted to wear a Cubs hat, but the Hall makes the decision, and chose Expos. I feel that is the correct call, as an Expos fan, and baseball fan. If he started off for 10 years in Chicago, then he should wear the Cubs hat.

Plenty more coverage to check, and video to watch:

Baseball Hall of Fame Andre Dawson holding his jersey pictured now.

R.I.P. José Lima

I was in Quebec City at the time. Away from most modern technology we take for granted today. Television was accessible at the time. I was able to see some of the Boston Philadelphia game. I noticed Big Papi David Ortiz had a RIP José on his hat. José Lima was the only person I could think of, but thought he was too young.

I later found out it was indeed him. I did not know him personally, however as batting practise is part of my religion, I caught the Royals in Toronto in 2005, when he was with the Royals. Since pitchers in the American League do not have to worry about hitting, I imagine they rarely take batting practise, so they hang out in the outfield.

José Lima was among those in the outfield at the time. He was goofing around with fans, in other words very fan friendly. Some fan dropped his sunglasses onto the playing field, and José retrieved them, being the fun guy he is, he tried them on. I'm sure the fan must have got them back eventually. Anyway, just from that it was easy to tell he would be a well liked guy. Of course anyone that follows baseball enough to know him, knows he is that kind of guy.

So it's too bad to see him go. Baseball lost a good guy.

R.I.P. José Lima (1972 – 2010)